How to Be a Homemaker
With every rising sun comes new dishes in the sink, another pile of laundry, and hungry mouths to feed. Two children are waging war on each other from the moment the sun’s rays hit their pillow, and I just pulled a chunk of a foam pool noodle out of my toddler’s mouth. My hair is pulled back in a mess, and I’m still in the clothes I slept in. At this point, I just decided to throw a bra on underneath my shirt and stay in them for the rest of the day to avoid more laundry. I am drinking my coffee looking at the morning so far wondering how on earth I will pursue joy in this day.
It’s in moments like these that I begin to realize that being a radical mama, is more than just choosing not to have a carrier and staying home with my kids instead. It goes beyond the choice to take care of my children 24/7. Being a radical mama is creating a home my kids can thrive in spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Anyone can be a stay-at-home mom, but only the fearless can be radical homemakers.
The definition of a homemaker is someone who manages the household of their own family. I don’t think we realize how important this task is for the wellbeing of our family. The spiritual, emotional, and physical health of our children is strongly affected by our ability to be a homemaker.
The CLEANLINESS of a child’s environment impacts their self-esteem, their sense of responsibility, and their sense of control over their own space.
Research links FAMILY MEALS with healthy mental development and lower risks for childhood depression, eating disorders, substance use and other mental health concerns.
A ROUTINE builds the self-confidence and independence of a child. As well as promoting healthy sleeping patterns, creating a sense of accomplishment when they carry out a task in their routine, and improves their planning and organization skills.
The smell of BREAD BAKING evokes a sense of comfort. Also, researchers have discovered that there is something about the effect of the smell of bread baking that is not just subjectively pleasant, but triggers more positive, helpful, kinder, and more altruistic behavior in people on an objective level.
Data from adult populations have indicated that BETTER-QUALITY DIET is associated with better mental health outcomes, according to PubMed Central.
A place where children feel PHYSICALLY, SOCIALLY, AND EMOTIONALY SAFE is imperative for healthy development and a successful future. Children who feel connected to their caretakers and home exhibit fewer at-risk behaviors later in childhood, says All for Kids.
These are only a few examples of how impactful our ability to be a homemaker is on our children. So how on earth do I become a radical homemaker to shape my home in a way that changes the lives of those who live in it? To answer this question, I turned to my go-to book for anything, the Author of wisdom, my Bible. Proverbs 31 lays out a perfect example of a radical mama. I am going to list some of her qualities revealed in this chapter.
The Proverbs 31 woman had the trust of her husband (vs. 11), sought out things she needed to provide for her family and worked with willing hands (vs. 13), provided food for her household (vs. 15). planned for the future of her family (vs. 16), she put her whole heart into creating things efficiently and at a high standard (vs. 17-19), she was giving and considerate to those in need around her (vs. 20), she was confident in the wellbeing of her family (vs. 21-22), her husband was known and respected (vs. 23), she had a side hustle (vs. 24), she was strong, wise, and kind (vs. 25-26), idleness did not occupy her time (vs. 27), her children and husband were blessed by everything she did and praised her (vs. 28-31).
This woman was RADICAL! My goal in life is to become this woman. It is not a journey for the faint of heart. Especially not in a world that is continually telling you to follow your heart, pursue your dreams, make a name for yourself. Many will look at your life and think you are wasting it, yet they do not even understand the depth and reward of what you are doing.
Thousands of women are neglecting to do the most important job they can have been given and the generations becoming adults today are the product of that passive motherhood. Let’s learn from the frustrations of the world today and be radical mamas that intentionally shape the future of the generations we are giving birth to. Let’s create a home our children can thrive in, so they can one day become adults who change the world around them because of the skills our homemaking instilled in them spiritually, emotionally, and physically.
In this journey of shifting areas in my life to become a radical mama and homemaker, these are a few things I had to get rid of and some things I had to fall in love with.
I have/will have many blog posts about recipes that I use, methods and techniques, and some of the systems I have put in place within our home to strive to be a radical Proverbs 31 wife and mama. The most important mental shift I have made so far is this,
“So, whether you eat or drink (or do laundry, dishes, cleaning, discipline children, create things, make meals), or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” 1Corinthians 10:31
The life that I live is a gift from the Lord and the moment I lose sight of that, is the moment I no longer enjoy it. I fall short of being the mother I strive to be, but praise the Lord, His mercies are new every morning! (Lam. 3:22-23) Let’s be radical mamas and shape the world we have been given!
When my hair is pulled back in a mess, and I’m still in the clothes I slept in, I will choose to press on with determination and courage, knowing that everything I do within my home is radically affecting the future…eternity!